An Extinction Rebellion protestor dressed as
Boris Johnson has scaled the scaffolding around Big Ben because... well it’s 2019 and anything goes these days.
Standing high above the
London skyline on Friday afternoon, Ben Atkinson, 43, was snapped raising his arm in the air in a case of what is presumably just unfortunate timing on the part of the photographer. The protester draped two signs from Big Ben, one with the Extinction Rebellion logo and the words “No pride on a dead planet” and the other reading “Citizens Assembly”.
Onlookers said
police officers had used a lift that is part of the scaffolding to reach Atkinson and could be seen speaking to him as he sat in the netting.
Other officers were seen at the base of the tower with ropes. The entrance to Westminster Tube station across the road from Big Ben has been closed and police are asking people to leave the area directly in front of where the demonstrator is.
Extinction Rebellion activists marched through London on Friday demanding action to combat climate change, as part of the penultimate day of their “Autumn Uprising” campaign.
Hundreds of activists, who launched the latest campaign 10 days ago, defied the police ban on protesting in the capital, PA Media reports.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed 1,768 arrests have been made in connection with the ongoing
protests, with demonstrators marching through Westminster, Oxford Circus and staging a sit-in at the front of Downing Street.
Dozens of activists had staged a sit in at the front of the Downing Street gates but they were shortly moved on by police ahead of an emergency Cabinet meeting at Number 10 on Friday afternoon.Related... My Faith Urged Me To Join Extinction Rebellion, Whatever The Consequences Extinction Rebellion Tube Protest Causes Activists To Question Tactics